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Plastic Man was one of the real stars of the Quality Comics lineup of superheroes in comics' Golden Age (1938–1954), thanks to the madcap genius of his creator, Jack Cole. Cole had led a colorful life, including cycling across America at the age of eighteen, before deciding to dedicate himself to his true passion of cartooning and moving to New York in 1935.

Comics scholars generally agree that Superman was the first true superhero of the comic books, clearing marking the entrance of a new kind of hero into the marketplace. Though Superman wears an iconic costume, he was not the first heroic character to do so. That honor goes to the Phantom, a mystery-man hero type who clearly ushered in the superhero genre. Written by Lee Falk (who earlier had success with the newspaper strip Mandrake the Magician) and drawn by Ray Moore, the Phantom first appeared in King Features Syndicate on February 17, 1936.

Comic books are for boys, chimed the traditional mindset during the infancy of the comics medium, its illustrious Golden Age (1938–1954), hence the overwhelming number of male superheroes. Outside of the occasional superheroine gender-bending the locked doors of this muscular boys club, in the earliest superhero adventures women were depicted as damsels in distress or femme fatales. Matters romantic were of no interest to the lads looking for escapism amid the turmoil of the Great Depression and World War II.

Writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster had unwavering faith in their Superman creation, even when newspaper syndicates of the mid-1930s balked at their outlandish concept. Despite their confidence, Siegel and Shuster could not, in their wildest dreams, have imagined that one day, kids and consumers would be eating Superman peanut butter, wearing Superman underwear, and playing Superman video games.

Chicks love the car, observed the Dark Knight (Val Kilmer) in director Joel Schumacher's Batman Forever (1995). Guys do, too: For decades, the Batmobile has won the race to be the premier superhero vehicle.

Spider-Man, Spider-Man, does whatever a spider can. Spins a web any size, catches thieves just like flies, look out, here's comes the Spider-Man. So start the lyrics of one of the most famous superhero theme songs in history. Peter Parker was first bitten by the radioactive spider that gave him superpowers in Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962), but Stan Lee and Steve Ditko's creation would surge in popularity in 1967, with the debut of ABC's animated Spiderman series (without the official hyphen).

Superhuman strength. Virtual invulnerability. Motivated to defend the world from criminals and madmen. Possessing a secret identity. And they even have fashion sense—they look great in long underwear and cat suits. These are the traits that define the quintessential superhero.